This invention relates to telecommunications power systems. More particularly, this invention relates to automatic module configuration in a telecommunications power system.
Telecommunications power systems generally employ rectifiers that generate a direct current (DC) voltage from an alternating current (AC) power source. Distribution modules include circuit breakers that connect the rectifiers to loads and that distribute current to the loads. The loads in a telecommunications power system typically include telephone switches, cellular equipment, routers and other associated equipment. In the event that AC power is lost, the telecommunications power systems generally rely on backup batteries to provide power and to prevent costly down time due to loss of service. Telephone switches, cellular equipment and routers normally carry data streams and/or thousands of calls that will be interrupted if power is lost causing a significant loss of revenue.
Conventional telecommunications power systems have typically required highly skilled engineers and technicians to design, to set up and to configure the telecommunications power system. Setting up the telecommunications power system with less skilled personnel is potentially dangerous due to the high current involved and is sometimes very costly when mistakes occur and service is interrupted. By requiring highly skilled engineers and technicians to be involved, the cost of operating the telecommunications power system remains relatively high. If a problem such as service interruption occurs, significant delays can occur while waiting for an engineer or technician with the proper training. In an effort to decrease the cost of ownership, manufacturers of telecommunications power systems continue to simplify their systems to decrease the expertise of personnel required to set up the systems and to diagnose problems.
An automatic module configuration system according to the invention allows a telecommunications power system to be quickly and easily installed and later expanded. The automatic module configuration system includes modules that identify their serial number on a serial communications bus when initially connected to the telecommunications power system. A controller associated with the telecommunications power system receives and stores the serial number of the module and assigns a module ID for subsequent communications with the controller and other modules. Because an identifier packet of the serial communications protocol cannot accommodate the entire serial number, part of the serial number is coded into the identifier packet and the remaining part is coded in the data packet. If collisions between the data packets associated with two modules occur, new identifier packets and data packets are coded and transmitted until collision does not occur and the module ID is assigned.